LaVonne Braaten

Sun City West - LaVonne Braaten, age 85, passed away Sunday, December 6, 2015. LaVonne was born July 11, 1930 in Wallingford, Iowa to Lloyd and Olivia Gardner and was raised on a farm. She graduated from Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa. After that, she continued her education at St. Olaf College, Alliance Francaise in Paris, Elmhurst College and DePaul University. In 1951, she married Carl Edward Braaten. They have four children, Craig Braaten of Waterford, Wis., Martha Memmesheimer of Peoria, Ariz., Maria Davy of Chicago and Kristofer Braaten of Chicago. They have eleven grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. LaVonne was a music major and sang in choirs at Augustana Academy, Waldorf College, St. Olaf College, Paris and Heidelberg. In 1969, she started her own health foods business in Chicago and for twenty years owned and operated six stores. When she retired in Northfield, Minn., she provided the start-up money to found with her husband and Robert and Blanche Jenson, an ecumenical organization, the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology, and served as its treasurer for 15 years. When the Braatens moved to Sun City West, Ariz., LaVonne learned the Norwegian art of Rosemaling and served as president of the Rosemaling Club. She was also a member of the Pottery Club. As a world traveler, she enjoyed collecting souvenirs and works of art from the thirty countries she visited with her husband, emeritus Professor of Systematic Theology at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. LaVonne was very much loved by her family and all who came to know her. Contributions may be made to the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology, c/o Immanuel Lutheran Church, 122 E. 88th Street, New York, NY 10128. Please join LaVonne's family in sharing memories, pictures and videos on her tribute wall at www.caminodelsol.com.